Question Re Brake Pads For An R33 Gtst

[NickR33]

Hi guys, need to replace the pads in my car and would like to make a run to Bursons to make my mechanics life easier... soooo anyone have the part numbers for some Bendix Ultimates for an R33 GTSt?

ps. will the Bendix pads hold up at Sandown? Tires are Azenis RT615's and Sandown is pretty hard on brakes (so I have been told)... if anyone has a better suggestion feel free... cheers

[djr81]

Nick,

For my 10 cents you can do ALOT better than Bendix ultimates. If you are wanting to do some track work I would recommend Ferodo DS2500's as a start point.

Don't forget the fluid as well & make sure you check your rotors for cracks before & after.

[JCMarshall_Law]

what djr81 said.

I've used Bendex ultimates, Ferodo DS2500 some Nizmo pads at the track. The Bendex don't cut it. With the Feredos and I boild the fluid (Motul RBF600) before the pads go.

[NickR33]

okay thanks guys, thought the Bendix might be a bit underdone for the track will look into the Ferodo pads...

now the tricky part... part numbers for the DS2500 anyone? (cos I know there are heaps of people out there who just love writing down part numbers...and then filing them away just in case someone might ask them... one day...you know...cos its fun...)

[JCMarshall_Law]

I don't know the part number but just ask the supplier your going through for the right pads for your car, they will know what you need.

okay thanks guys, thought the Bendix might be a bit underdone for the track will look into the Ferodo pads...

now the tricky part... part numbers for the DS2500 anyone? (cos I know there are heaps of people out there who just love writing down part numbers...and then filing them away just in case someone might ask them... one day...you know...cos its fun...)

[djr81]

If you are in Melbourne, try Racebrakes. They should have them & be able to post them out.

[Russco]

Avoid the RB74's as well, these don't hold up well to track days - will be trying some Ferodo DS2500 in mine next.

[djr81]

Hmmm, interesting that you say that. I previously used them, but I found if they got a big dose of temperatures the friction coefficients went away and never returned. I recently changed them for DS2500's & would recommend those.

RB74's are around $170 for a front set, but the DS25000'S are $250ish.

[NickR33]

thanks for the responses guys... my mechanic in all his wisdom talked me into a Jap brand pad called N-Brake (never heard of them)... apparently he has used them in a number of circuit 300zx with good results... they weren't cheap either at about $250 for the front set... so yeah should be interesting to say the least!

Had the fluid changed to high temp stuff and had the disks checked and machined... now if the brakes go spongy by the second lap I will be emotional... should have just gone with the Ferodos but I am too easy to talk into stuff... oh well

[Roy]

If you have a stdish car and running street tyres then dont discount Bendix Ultimates.

This will sound silly but i would tend to under pad your car if its your daily driver and you are only going to do 1 or 2 track days a year. DS2500s are still ok on a rotor wear front, but the dusty but cheap Bendix would be kinder day to day.

The Ultimates are pretty good for a cheap street pad. And at a Sprint round at Sandown you only get 4 laps, and you have to warm up and cool down in there so you often only get 2-3 laps. So fluid will cop a flogging, but before the big stops you have some big speeds and plenty of cooling.

So try what you have, but i dont think going to the expense of DS 2500s should be the automatic first stop should you decide to go to the track.

[GTRgeoff]

I'd avoid the Bendix completely. Grabby at first application and spongy pedal as you brake harder, plus dusty filthy things. I only put them in the crappomatic, but only because I am going to sell it.

RB74's have been good to me but I believe in maintaining corner speeds and managed 1:31's on normal street rubber and a blown right rear shock at Sandown while being held up, with 1:29's a possible like that. Sandown and PI only have a couple of big braking points though so they get a fair while to cool. Never had a problem with overheating them. Great pedal feel and good progression. Great buy at the price, but if you are going to seriously upgrade for the track then dive into the Ferodos.

[Roy]

Well if Duncan and Fatz can do 1:10s at Wakefiled in a stock R33 using Bendix, and semis, then that tells me thats enough for a stdish car that is having the wheels driven off the thing. But if you can splash the cash, somehting better cant hurt

[djr81]

Having tried the three different pads I would like to offer the following observations:

RB74's

Good points:

Nice & cheap.

Locally made.

Bad Points

Noisy when cold.

Not as good at high temps as the DS2500's

If you get them too hot they lose their friction coefficient which doesn't come back ever.

Bendix Ultimates:

Good points

Cheap(ish)

Quiet

Bad Points

Dusty.

Not brilliant at high temps.

Ferodo DS2500's

Good Points.

Much better on a track than the other two brands.

Noisy when they get hot.

Nice high friction coefficient.

Bad Points.

Not cheap.

I am not sure what to make of the disc wear argument. I had a set of DBA4000 series rotors on my R32. After about 5000kms (including a number of track days) I had gone through three sets of RB74's on the front & retained one set of Bendix ultimates on the back. When I went to upgrade the pads to DS2500's I found the rear rotors to have substantial cracks in them & the fronts to have lesser cracks, but also what I can best describe as crazing on the surfaces. So the two pads that are ostensibly easiest on rotors were still man enough to trash a complete set.

Of course that could simply be a comment about the design of the DBA 4000 series grooved rotors......

Edited August 8, 2006 by djr81

[Roy]

So how did you find the pads?

[NickR33]

hey its aliiiive!

yep pads were great all day... no fade, in fact they got better as the temp rose... however I should point out I wasn't really standing on them until the last session when I got some confidence and started trying to brake later/deeper... they were a bit smelly after that session but they felt fine on the drive home... I haven't taken them out so I can't comment on the pad wear and I have black rims so I haven't noticed any dust!

overall I am pretty impressed, the only downside I can see so far is that they are a bit wooden on the way to work in the mornings and there is a faint squeeling but once the heat gets into them they are fine for the street

we will see how much use I can get out of them but for the time being they are a thumbs up

[Roy]

So thats a PASS. Good stuff! If they survive Sandown they shoudl be ok at most places

[nuffsaid]

Are the RB74's dusty or noisy? and have a nice first bite to them?

I currently have Formula Ferodos, are they are hella dusty!

Edited August 15, 2006 by nuffsaid

[djr81]

Dusty: No. Noisy: Yes. Bitey: pretty good.

[nuffsaid]

Damn! anything else that satisfies the above?

[NickR33]

this is the website for the pads I have at the mo http://www.n-brake.com/default.php